Prayers for times like these

For Peace 

God of Unity and Peace, 

Bless our longings for peace as we give you our heartaches and fears.

Holy One, we beg you to soften the hearts of those who wage war. 

By your grace, may minds be opened to nonviolent solutions.

In your mercy, may diplomacy and peace prevail beyond destruction and division.

For your glory, may Your songs of harmony silence all battle cries. 

God of compassion, may your mighty love halt all weaponry and attack plans. 

God of Shalom, forgive us for the sin of militarism, forgive our hawkish ways, forgive us for taunting peacemakers and celebrating war heroes. Lord, have mercy.

Embolden our hope and faith in the Gospel of peace and help us to follow you.

We pray all this in union with Jesus the Christ of all fraternity and Oneness

and through the Holy Spirit who inspires all creative peacemakers. Amen. 

For All Who Celebrate Pride

God of Great Diversity,

You have created infinite possibilities

and expanded our narrow ways 

as you created us with such splendid variety. 

God of goodness and love, 

you show us that the expansive goodness 

of being nondual and nonbinary 

reveals beauty, wonder, delight, and joy. 

We thank you for enriching our human family

with people who are queer, who show us

the goodness of stretching expectations 

about how dignity is embodied and love is expressed. 

We pray You are loved and adored as 

You are revealed through people who are queer.

May we always stand with those who are oppressed 

and in need of protection and liberation. 

Free us from our fears and doubts, dear God, 

so we always honor and celebrate your divine image

in every beloved child of God no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity. 

We pray this through You, the Holy Trinity, a nonbinary love outpouring consolation and hope upon all who are suffering. Amen. 

Mercy for all migrants

God of Hospitality and Justice,

God of the journey, throughout salvation history you have tended to the little ones, the migrants and the poor as you called people to see beyond borders and rules that confine. 

You called many ancestors in our faith such as Abram, Moses, the Holy Family and Sts. Peter and Paul to travel to lands unknown. Our faith compels us to be sojourners and pilgrims too.

In your Word you instruct us to offer hospitality, saying, “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Hebrews 13:2).

During this time of trial and uncertainty, we turn to you with stormy emotions as we decry the disappearance and deportation of our neighbors, friends, family members, and coworkers.

We bemoan the terror of family separations, state-sanctioned removals of people, and the destruction of healthy intercultural communities. 

Shower us with your graces, Holy One. 

Provide protection and support to all those who are afraid, vulnerable, lost, or uncertain. Embolden the Church to practice radical hospitality. 

Fill all your people with courage to shelter and accompany those who are oppressed in imitation of you, Jesus. 

We pray this through you, Jesus Christ, who were a migrant and refugee who sought asylum, and the Holy Spirit who unites people beyond borders and walls. Amen. 

At messyjesusbusiness.com you can find more prayers by Sr. Julia, such as the Litany for Democracy and the Litany for Our Inability to End Gun Violence.